Another post on John's Naval, Marine and other Service news
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![cargo ship]()
![Captain Charles Smith]()
White powder sent to Treasury ![]()
Stormy weather further damages train line ![]()
MATT DUNCAN/Fairfax NZ
BREAKING AWAY: The Trans Future 7 is guided back to the wharf after breaking its mooring at Aotea Quay Wharf during Sunday's storm.
CHRIS SKELTON/Fairfax NZ
REELING IT IN: CentrePort's marine services manager Captain Charles Smith with the port's new tug Tapuhi, which played a big role in the recovery operation when the car carrier Trans Future 7 broke its mooring lines in southerly gales on Sunday.
Wellington
Stormy weather further damages train line 
When car carrier Trans Future 7 broke its mooring lines in Sunday's southerly storm, it snapped 14 ropes with a collective breaking strain of between 840 and 1302 tonnes.
The 60,000-tonne Panama-registered car carrier Trans Future 7 broke its lines about 3.30pm on Sunday and the operation to finally secure the ship to its Aotea Quay berth took about six hours.
CentrePort's marine services manager Captain Charles Smith said Trans Future 7 had been attached to the wharf by 14 lines when the five bow lines began snapping in domino fashion in the high winds.
''The ship had five headlines out, four spring lines and five aft lines.''
The four spring lines attaching the starboard side of ship to the wharf gave way, leaving the five stern lines to finally part as the 180 metre-long ship moved to right angles with the wharf.
Mr Smith said he had been piloting at the port since 1975.
During two storms in the last month, two ships broke mooring lines in howling southerly winds.
''Many years ago a Columbus Line vessel broke its lines in high winds at the end of the container wharf.''
The high-sided design of the Interislander ferry Kaitaki and Trans Future was a significant reason both vessels broke their lines in the past month.
''Car carriers these days are built like big boxes. The Trans Future 7 had over 6000 square metres directly exposed to the southerly winds. The bow had an area of about 1000 square metres exposed,'' Mr Smith said.
The 14 ropes in use on the Trans Future 7 had breaking strains ranging from 60 to 93 tonnes each.
''The bow lines went first. In the end we ended up with nothing holding her to the wharf. The tugs Tapuhi and Toia then came in to play. They were quickly on the scene and pushed the ship back on to the wharf,'' Mr Smith said.
Because all 14 lines on the car carrier had been broken, the two tugs had to be deployed for four hours to pin the ship to the wharf.
''This gave the crew on board the car carrier time to make temporary repairs to the ropes. It takes a long time putting a knot in those heavy ropes. It was 9:30 on Sunday night before I got back in to my office,'' Mr Smith said.
CentrePort tugs used 110-metre long-tow ropes on their routine duties.
''These tug towing lines cost CentrePort $40,000 each. Some of the ropes on the Trans Future 7 were 200 metres long. They are not cheap.
''It is a little bit unusual for Wellington that lines have broken twice in the last month. But it happens round the world on a fairly frequent basis.
''Ships go in to port and strike extreme conditions and lines part,'' Mr Smith said.The ropes were the responsibility of the ship.
He said the port's new tug Tapuhi had played a big part in the operation by maintaining 50 tonnes of pressure against the ship's port side while the crew repaired the ropes on Sunday night.
''Tapuhi chewed through about 4000 litres of diesel in pushing the ship up against the wharf,'' Mr Smith said.
He was proud of the way his team had responded to the situation.
Had the tugs not been able to push the ship back to the wharf plan B was to suggest to the captain of the car carrier he head out into the harbour.
Mr Smith said the crew of the car carrier had also played their part.
''They had unloaded their cargo and were ready to sail. We decided to push the ship back to the wharf.
''We made a very good save in getting things back to normal,'' Mr Smith said.
He also noted CentrePort's Aotea Quay bollards had stood up to the rope breaking pressure exerted by the car carrier.
- © Fairfax NZ News
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